The confused oncologic patient: a rational clinical approach.

Overview

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to provide a practical clinical approach to confusion in the patient with cancer. Confusion in the cancer population has a broader differential diagnosis than in the general medical population. The clinician must consider the usual differential diagnoses as well as causes unique to the cancer patient including direct complications from the cancer and indirect complications related to cancer treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: In the recent age of precision medicine, the oncologist now utilizes the genomic profile of both the patient and the tumor to provide advanced biologic therapies including targeted anticancer drugs, antiangiogenic agents, and immunotherapy. Such advances carry with them an emerging pattern of neurotoxicity which, although less well described in the literature, is now an important consideration to the clinical approach to confusion in cancer patients. SUMMARY: Confusion is the most common neurologic complication in cancer and is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and prolonged hospital stays resulting in increased healthcare costs. Early recognition and treatment of delirium is essential to improve clinical outcomes.